hqx ☆
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Description:
Magnification filter designed for pixel art
Type: Formula  |  Tracked Since: Dec 28, 2025
Links: Homepage  |  formulae.brew.sh
Category: Multimedia
Tags: pixel-art image-processing graphics retro-gaming scaling
Install: brew install hqx
About:
Hqx is a high-quality pixel art magnification filter that intelligently scales low-resolution images without introducing blurriness. It preserves the original color palette and sharp edges, making it ideal for retro graphics. The algorithm analyzes pixel patterns to generate smooth, aesthetically pleasing enlargements.
Key Features:
  • Preserves sharp pixel edges and original colors
  • Supports multiple scaling factors (2x, 3x, 4x)
  • Optimized for real-time rendering performance
  • Open-source implementation with C library
Use Cases:
  • Upscaling retro game sprites and textures
  • Enhancing pixel art in emulators and game engines
  • Scaling UI elements in low-resolution interfaces
Alternatives:
  • xbrz – Similar algorithmic approach, but xbrz is often faster and supports more scaling factors
  • nearest-neighbor – Simpler but produces blocky results without Hqx's smoothing
Version History
Detected Version Rev Change Commit
Sep 15, 2025 2:17am 0 VERSION_BUMP 7fae0f5a
Sep 13, 2024 9:44pm 0 VERSION_BUMP 8d0f865f
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